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In 2006, when 7-year-old Shannon Donley walked into her first tae kwon do class, she wasn't sure if she'd be successful. Clinging to her father's side, she watched as students practiced the martial art, which combines Eastern philosophy with self-defense training such as kicks, punches and blocks.

"You walk in and you see everyone yelling," said Shannon, now 9.

But the father and daughter duo, Bethesda residents who decided to take on the classes together, promised each other that they would stick with it. That was evident Oct. 22, as the pair received their black belts together during a ceremony at Positive Impact Martial Arts in Potomac.

"What makes it so meaningful for me — it's obvious — is being up here with my daughter at the same time," James Donley, 45, said before a crowd of students in the school's practice space at St. James Episcopal Church. The school — which is for-profit — rents space from the church. The Donleys were among six students who received black belts.

The martial art form seeks to instill discipline and focus in its students, according to master instructor Greg Maye, who heads Positive Impact Martial Arts. And that's exactly what it takes to receive a black belt, he said. Students must not only work their way through ranks symbolized by different colored belts — passing a test to demonstrate their skills before each promotion — but also undergo leadership training and physical tests before they receive the rank of black belt.

The shortest amount of time it takes to receive a black belt is typically about three years, though some students take longer, according to Genevieve Long, program director at Positive Impact Martial Arts.

The lessons go hand in hand with a focus on leadership, responsibility and giving back to the community, Maye said. "Our saying is that martial arts without philosophy is just street fighting," he said.

Donley said that he and his daughter worked as a team, motivating each other. "I made a pinky swear with my dad that we would both get our black belts," Shannon said.

The group often sees parent and child teams who practice together, Maye said. "It's one of the few things parents can do with kids where there's really a big bond, because they grow together doing the same thing," he said.

Clay Christian — who is James Donley's cousin — started practicing tae kwon do with son Robert, 13, four months ago. The classes have helped his son, who has attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder, practice focus and concentration, Christian said.

Christian, 50, said that he and his wife had divorced, and that the classes were a way for him to bond with his son. Now, the two jump rope and spar together at home. The discipline taught in the classes — "They make you do push-ups if you're late," Christian said — are an added benefit.

"It's something we could do together, and it's very structured," Christian said. "One thing he didn't have enough of was quite enough structure."

For the Donleys, reaching the long-term goal together only reinforces the bond they've already forged through the martial art.

"Every time when we drive here we hold hands, and every time we drive home we hold hands," Donley said. "On the way here, I said, ‘This is the last time we'll hold hands before we're black belts.'"